Eyes of the Storm

Eyes of the Storm

First US edition cover
Author	Jeff Smith
Illustrator	Jeff Smith
Cover artist	Jeff Smith David Reed (colourist)
Language	English
Series	Bone
Genre	Fantasy, comedy
Publisher	Cartoon Books
Publication date	1996
Publication place	United States
Media type	Hardback and paperback
Pages	184
ISBN	0-9636609-7-7 (hardback) ISBN 0-9636609-6-9 (paperback)
OCLC	50631231
Preceded by	The Great Cow Race
Followed by	The Dragonslayer

Eyes of the Storm is the third book in the Bone series. It collects issues 12-19 of Jeff Smith's Bone comic book series along with 5 previously unpublished story pages and 9 new illustrations.^[1][2] It marks the conclusion of the first part of the saga, titled "Vernal Equinox". The book was first published by Cartoon Books in its original black-and-white form in 1996. Paperback and hardback coloured editions were published in 2006 by Scholastic.

The Great Red Dragon interrupts Fone Bone's nightmare. The following day, Fone Bone asks him about the dream, and the Dragon hints that he entered the dream on purpose. Later, the Bone cousins are absorbed in rebuilding Grandma Ben's farm.

While Phoney, Smiley, and Lucius continue to Barrelhaven through the rain, Phoney wagers that he can better operate Lucius' tavern than can Lucius himself. When they arrive at the bar, the taverngoers immediately attack Phoney Bone and Smiley Bone, but Lucius objects, on grounds that their fiscal debts have been paid and that they earlier humiliated themselves by belief in Phoney's confidence trick. He then orders the bet to commence.^[2]

When Gran'ma Ben apologizes to Bone for accusing him of causing trouble, Fone Bone shows her the map discovered in the initial book by Smiley, and she reveals that Thorn's parents were the monarchs of the realm throughout the generation-long war with the Rat Creatures, and that Thorn was moved from the palace during the "Nights of Lightning" (a series of surprise attacks by the Rat Creatures), to safety with the Dragons; but the escort party was betrayed by an accompanying nursemaid, and Thorn's parents killed. It is revealed that a dangerous, disembodied intelligence called the Lord of the Locusts has reawoken, and has the Hooded One under its command.

Fone Bone attempts to comfort Thorn after Gran'ma Ben's revelations. At the tavern, Smiley Bone draws all the customers to the Bones' side of the bar by giving beer for no cost; but Phoney Bone stops him. The crowd are about to attack them, when Smiley Bone wishes that Fone Bone's dragon was there to protect them, and they demand what he means by this.^[2]

Tales of a dragon draw the townsfolk to Phoney's side of the Barrelhaven bar, and Phoney proclaims himself a dragon slayer. A hooded stranger wearing a pendant with a royal crest visits the Barrelhaven, bringing Lucius news that a huge army of Rat Creatures is approaching. Gran'ma Ben, hearing the news from Lucius via Ted the bug, and fearing for Thorn's safety, presents Thorn with her old sword and shield and insists on departure.